I'd Rather Fly
by Jennifer Collins
Summary: Tony and Natasha may be more alike than they realize, but trust goes a long way.
1. Eyes On Me

Note: There may be a slight spoiler for Iron Man 3 in here.

**Eyes on Me**

By Jennifer Collins

"So you've danced with Bruce, Barton, Cap… even Thor, but you won't dance with your host?"

Natasha turned around slowly, looking up at him through thick eyelashes. "Is that the proper way to ask a lady to dance, Stark?"

He grinned, holding out a hand to her.

She grinned back, placing her hand in his. "I figured that since this is the Avenger's fifth victory party, that you should be the fifth Avenger I danced with," she said as she let him lead her to the center of the floor.

"Saving the best for last? You look absolutely stunning tonight, Agent Romanoff."

"Watch it, Stark. Just because you haven't shown your face around New York since last summer doesn't give you the right to go all sweet talk on me."

He smiled wide, showing his perfect white teeth. "We saved the world together five times now. I think it's time you start calling me Tony."

The music slowed and she stepped closer to him, tossing her red curls over her shoulder. "I'll call you Tony when you start calling Steve by his first name rather than some poor derogatory nickname that you think is funny," she said with a wink.

He laughed and raised his head, pausing for a moment to address the many cameras that were flashing in their faces.

She let a smile slowly spread across her face for their benefit, her smile freezing when she felt his body stiffen. "Stark? What is it?"

She turned her head ever so slightly to gaze briefly over her shoulder, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

His eyes widened as his breath started to come out in short, quick gasps.

"Stark?"

"C-can't breathe.." He murmured, his fingers shaking in hers. "Oh, God. Not here…"

She looked up at him intently, tightening her hold on his shoulders. "It's alright, just take it easy. Take a deep breath."

"Everybody's watching us, are they looking?"

"Sssh, eyes on me, Stark. Just keep dancing. It's alright. Nobody's watching," she said soothingly, although she knew it wasn't true. "Just keep your eyes locked on mine. It's okay. It's just us. Right?"

He nodded slowly, gasping for air.

"Easy, easy," she murmured.

"Just us," he said, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "I-I need to… get out."

"Do you want to take this outside?" She asked, raising her voice as she brushed her fingers through his hair.

He nodded.

"Okay. Let's go get some air," she said, smiling flirtatiously. She leaned her head down close to his ear. "Follow me to the balcony," she whispered.

He took her hand as she led him out of the room, forcing a smug smile.

He exhaled deeply once they were outside, gripping the rail tightly with both hands.

"What the hell was that?" She asked, eyes narrowed.

He placed a hand to his forehead. "I'm okay. Just an anxiety attack."

She frowned. "I know it was an anxiety attack, but you most certainly are not okay."

He shrugged. "I'm fine. Happens sometimes."

She raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"

He turned to look at her, gesturing his hand without saying anything.

"This is your first time in New York since the attack, isn't it?"

His mouth set in a line.

"And what triggered your attack just now?"  
He shrugged. "I don't know. All those people… I just… I just kept picturing them all running and screaming."

"Tony… have you talked to anyone about this?"

"Bruce knows."

She rolled her eyes. "I meant someone who can help."

He chuckled. "Boy, if I had a nickel for every time someone suggested professional help, I'd be.. well, I'd be me."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "This isn't funny."

"You think it's that easy to just talk to someone? A total stranger? And what exactly am I supposed to tell them? Huh? That I must be the worst superhero in the world because I freak out whenever things get intense?"

She sighed. "You're not the world's worst superhero, Tony. In fact, you're probably one of the best. Why don't you see a S.H.I.E.L.D. psychologist? I can make an appointment for you if you'd like."

He sniffed. "You ever talked to one of those bozos?"

She smiled, placing her hand over his. "Tony, I've talked to more psychologists in my lifetime than you can even imagine."

He sighed loudly.

"It's okay to ask for help. Even for people like us."

He nodded. "Thanks, Natasha."

"No problem. We're on the same team now, remember? All in this together and all that," she said with a smile.

He grinned. "And you're even calling me Tony now," he pointed out.

She grinned back. "I guess I am."

"Of course I did figure that the first time you did that would be a breathless whisper on top of some sweaty sheets, but…"

"You had to go and ruin it, didn't you?" She said angrily.

He laughed. "Come here," he said, holding out his arms. "I was just kidding."

"Ugh, fine," she said stepping into his embrace. After a few moment she added, "No, you weren't."

"No, I wasn't," he agreed, tightening his hold on her. "Listen, Nat… don't tell the others about this, okay?"

"Of course." She tilted her head back to look up at him, smiling a catlike grin. "I'm good at keeping secrets."


	2. The Masks We Wear

The Masks We Wear

By Jennifer Collins

Natasha was walking down the main hallway leading to the lobby of S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters, deep in conversation with Clint when a tall, familiar frame appeared from behind a door, chuckling softly as he closed it behind him.

"Tony! What are you doing here?"

"Natasha, what a pleasant surprise," he said, leaning down to plant a swift kiss on her cheek. "Clint," he nodded to her partner before reaching out to shake hands. "I came for a meeting with Fury."

"And how are you liking New York?" She asked, gazing intently at his features.

He smiled a wide knowing smile. "Much better than last time I was here, that's for sure," he replied with a wink. "Anyway, now that I've got you both here I insist that we must do lunch."

Natasha looked up at Clint. "We are just getting off our shift…"

"Gee, as great as that sounds, I'm afraid I have to get back to that… that thing," Clint said, semi-apologetically. "Ah, work thing."

"No worries, pal," Tony said. "Looks like it's just you and me, darling."

"How about that," Natasha said with a slight laugh, narrowing her eyes at Clint. "I'll catch up with you later, Barton."

Tony offered his arm to her, waving half-heartedly at Clint as he retreated down the hall.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she slipped her arm through his, muttering "No shawarma," as they headed at the door.

He laughed and she had to admit that his mirth was contagious as a slow smile started to spread across her lips. "No Shawarma," he promised. "Actually, my limo's right out here. The driver will take us wherever you'd like to go," he added, opening the door for her.

"Limo?" She slid across the seat. "All those cars in your garage and you hired a limo?"

"Hired? This is my personal limousine. I always get driven to meetings," he told her.

She nodded. "Where's Happy?"

Something dark flickered across his expression for a moment before he regained his composure. "Happy has the day off," he said, settling back. "Here we are. Nice and private back here," he said. "How about you sit on my lap?"

"Are you serious?"

"Why not?" He said with a smirk.

"Just when I was starting to change my mind about you," she muttered under her breath. Out loud she said, "You know I could kill you back here, right? Since it's so private."

He laughed. "I like to live dangerously."

She glared at him. "You like to live foolishly. What would Pepper think?"

"You didn't really care about what Pepper would think at my birthday party two years ago," he pointed out.

"Stark! That was…"

He nodded. "You playing a role. But some things you can't fake."

"Don't be an ass."

"Oh, that's right. You were just using me. I almost forgot."

"You can't possibly still be mad at that. After all we've been through with the team? You don't trust me?"

"Well, you don't trust me," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe it's because every time I start to think we could be friends, you go and act like this. I don't understand. Why the spoiled rich boy act, Tony? You started to let me see you…"

"Hmph. Little miss spy thinks she knows everything. This is the real me, baby. And you're one to talk with the roleplaying. Do you even know who you are anymore?"

"That's low, Tony. I know exactly who I am. That's why this comes so easy. What mask are you putting on right now?" She peered closer at him when he didn't answer. "Tony? It's Pepper, isn't it?"

He sighed. "She.. broke up with me."

"Oh." She lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "It's alright. Except for the fact that she knows literally everything about me. That's dangerous."

Natasha shook her head. "Pepper would never betray you like that. But I don't think that's what you're worried about."

"You don't know me as well as you think you do, Agent Romanoff."

"Look, Tony. I get it. You're hurt. And I'm sorry she hurt you, but that doesn't mean you have to swear off trusting everyone. Not everyone is out to get you. Sometimes things just don't work out."

He nodded. "Yeah, she said something like that. That we're better off friends, blah blah."

She wrinkled her nose. "You fired her, didn't you?"

"I can't fire her. She's the C.E.O."

Natasha grinned. "Well, at least you didn't mess up that part of your life."

"I didn't mess up any part of my life. I'm fucking Tony Stark."

"That's right. So bounceback."

"Alright…" He placed a firm hand on her knee.

She cringed. "I'm going to let you keep all those fingers intact if you remove your hand within the next five seconds, but only because I know that you're just lashing out because you're in pain."

He smiled coyly. "Playing the role of my friend there, are you?"

She flicked his hand off her lap. "I am your friend."

"But you don't trust me."

"I was learning to," she pointed out. "Do you trust me?"

"Wanna know a secret?" He leaned close. "I don't trust any female," he whispered into her ear.

"That's sexist. And untrue."

"Whatever. So I told you this limo would take you anywhere. Where do you want to go?"

"As far as lunch? I'll let you pick the restaurant. But after that, we're going back to headquarters. And you're going to read my S.H.I.E.L.D. file."

"I've already read your S.H.I.E.L.D. file. I was hoping after lunch we'd go back to my place."

"I was talking about the classified one. It's only fair. I've seen yours. We're going to build trust, right?"

He nodded.

"Then you need to see past the mask you think I wear. And you need to drop the one you think you wear. Is that a deal?"

He shrugged. "You know, shawarma would have been way easier."


	3. Trust Issues

Note: This chapter contains some spoilers for Iron Man 3.

Trust Issues

By Jennifer Collins

It was late when Natasha heard a knock on her door. "Tony!" She exclaimed with genuine surprise once she realized who it was. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" He asked, his face serious.

She nodded and stepped aside. "What is it? Did you read the file?"

He nodded gravely.

"And? Did you decide that we're really not as different as you think?"

"I did. Which is why I'm here."

"Tony…"

"You once said that it's okay to ask for help once in awhile. Well, I need your help."

"Okay.." she started, running a hand through her hair. "What do you need?"

He held out a folder to her. "I have some unfinished business near Rose Hill, Tennessee. I need you to find somebody."

Natasha smiled a tight smile. "Well, that's my specialty."

"So, are we going to put our trust issues aside?"

Natasha flipped through the folder, holding up a photo to her face. "This is a child."

"Right. His name's Harley. I don't know the last name and I'll be damned if I remember the address."

"This is who you want me to find? I'll see what I can do, but I don't understand. Is he a dangerous mutant or something?"

"No, it's nothing like that. This is a rescue attempt. You see, the boy's been abandoned."

Natasha wordlessly folded her arms across her chest.

"The father left without a trace and the mother… "

"I see. So this is personal."

"Don't look at me like that. Here." He handed her an earpiece. "This is my secure line. Make sure no one knows."

"You got it," Natasha said.

"We'll talk money later," he promised.

She shook her head. "No money. I'll do this one as a favor. Next time you'll have to pay though."

Tony's eyes widened in surprise. He was about to mutter some sarcastic comment about how he was certain he could afford her, but instead he said, "That's great. Thanks, Natasha."

"You're welcome, Tony," she said with a little wave as he turned to go.

XXXX

It was less than twenty-four hours later when Natasha called him with an address.

"Fantastic. I knew you were the one for the job," he said excitedly. "Let me just handle some things real quick and then we can go."

"We?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah. You're coming with me, aren't you?"

She sighed. "I guess I could rearrange some things. We'll have to be sneaky about it though. I'm not sure how Fury would take it if I told him I was doing a side job for you. But Tony, you're going to have to give me some more information."

"Fine. I'll explain on the way. Meet me at my private jet in half an hour."

XXXX

Once they were safely inside, Natasha took the seat across from where he was sitting. "So what's so urgent about this?"

"The kid really helped me out when I needed some serious help. I can't just abandon him like his parents did."

"How noble of you. So what's the plan here? Take him home and raise him yourself?" She asked with a teasing grin.

"Me? Be a father?" He laughed. "Hell no. Pepper and Happy have agreed to take him in. You know, just until we can place him."

"Uh-huh." She nodded. "I suppose that's for the best. Then you can visit him whenever you want, right?"

"We're here," Tony said, ignoring her question. "Let me talk to him first."

Natasha idly stuck her hands in her pockets as he walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

"Hey, it's the mechanic!" Harley exclaimed with a bright smile. "But why knock? That's hardly your style."

"Har har," Tony said sarcastically.

"I saw on the news how you totally slammed that guy!" He paused, noticing Natasha for the first time. "Hey, who's she? Your girlfiend?"

"Ha! I wish," he answered.

"I would too," the boy responded.

Natasha laughed. "I see why you like him so much. He's just like you."

"Ah, he's pretty cool. I'll take that as a compliment. I'm Harley," he said, holding out his hand to Natasha.

"Good. It was meant as one. I'm Natasha Romanoff," she said, gently shaking his hand.

"So what brings you here? You need another favor?" Harley asked, eyes sparkling.

"Nah. You ever ride in a private jet?" Tony asked with his head cocked to one side.

"No!"

"Well, now's your chance. Get in. Unless you want this opportunity to pass you by."

Harley eagerly ran through the entrance.

"And put on your seatbelt," Tony warned.

"Where are we going?" Harley wondered.

"I'll tell you when we get there."

"Ok. Cool. So, now are you going to tell me about the aliens?"

Tony froze.

"Oops. Sorry, I almost forgot."

Natasha gently patted Tony's knee before settling down next to Harley. "That's alright, kid. I'll tell you whatever you want to know about the aliens."

"No way! You were there?" He grinned, turning back to Tony. "You know, she should really be your girlfriend. I bet she's the only one who could keep up with you."

XXXX

"This is where you live?!" Harley asked incredulously once Tony's limo pulled up in front of his house.

Tony nodded. "Pretty spectacular, huh?"

"I'll say."

"Listen, kid. There's some people I want you to meet inside."

"Uh, okay."

Tony punched in his security code into the keypad and the door opened automatically for them. "Here they are now. Harley, I want you to meet Pepper and Happy."

"Hi, Harley," Pepper greeted him with a warm smile. "We're so glad you could join us."

Harley nodded, silently assessing the pair in front of him. "That's great, but I really should get home. My mom will be getting off from the diner soon and she's going to miss me."

Natasha's eyes widened. "Your mom?" She looked pointedly at Tony. "May I have a word with you, outside?"

Tony looked down at the floor. "I'll be right back," he politely informed the others.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Natasha shouted at him. "You told me his mother was dead!"

"I never said that," Tony pointed out, raising a hand.

"You can't just take the boy away from his home just because you feel a connection to your sordid childhood!"

"Hey, that's not what this is!" Tony shouted back. "That boy is much better off here and you know it. You saw how he's living over there! In that dump of a shack with the drug addict mother neglecting him to go screw whoever!"

Natasha folded her arms. "You're assuming a lot here, Tony. And besides, this isn't for you to decide. You are not above the law!"

"The law takes too long. I have to help this kid now," he insisted.

She sighed. "You used me, Tony. I can't believe you made me a part of this."

"Oh, like this is the worst thing you've ever been a part of, right? Black Widow?"

"Screw you, Tony!" She screamed before stalking off angrily. In the background, she could hear the child yelling and she turned around to see him running out the front door.

Tony caught him easily in his grasp. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, kid but we're trying to help you. You have to believe me."

"I trusted you!" Harley cried. "I trusted you!"

"Hey, kid!" Natasha called back to him. "Don't worry. I'm going to set this right."


	4. Walk Before You Run

Walk Before We Run

By Jennifer Collins

Natasha took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell to Tony's California office.

"Hi there!" A perky blonde receptionist greeted her. "Do you have an appointment with Mr. Stark today?"

Natasha nodded eagerly. "I'm here about…"

"Hey! I know you! You're on the Avengers, aren't you? I saw your picture in the paper!"

She smiled in relief. "That's right. This is superhero business."

"Of course," the receptionist said enthusiastically. "I'll let him know you're here!" She tapped a few buttons on her cordless phone and nodded a few times. "He says to go on in," she said with a polite wave of her hand.

Natasha slowly opened the door to the office but found it empty. A quick scan of the room showed her that the sliding glass door to the balcony was open. She cautiously made her way through the opening, her senses on high alert.

"I hope you're not here to kill me or anything," he called from his perch in a cozy looking chair. "Because I've just recently made some adjustments to the Mark 43 so I can assure you a fair fight."

"That's not why I'm here," she insisted. "I'm actually… here to apologize."

He frowned, rising up from his chair. "For what now, exactly?"

"I looked deeper into Harley's case. I know that you contacted the mother once you realized she had a drug problem, and I know that you're paying for her rehab in Pennsylvania, and I also know that she asked you to look after her son while she's away. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed…"

He held a hand up. "Apology accepted, Agent Romanoff. I suppose that was a fair assumption given my impulsive history."

"For what it's worth, I think it's great that you care about the child so much."

"About the child, or about someone other than myself?"

She smiled. "Both, I guess."

He nodded. "I've told you many times, Agent Romanoff. I'm really not all that bad."

"I know you're not."

"But it appears that we still have some trust issues to work out."

She lowered her eyes. "I guess so."

He stepped closer to her. "Shall we talk about it over dinner? My driver will pick you up at seven and we'll go anywhere you want to go, no matter how extravagant. I'll even buy you a new dress if you like," he added with a wink.

She shook her head. "You really don't get it, do you?"

He smirked. "Oh, come one. You had fun last week when we had lunch together, didn't you?"

She grinned. "I suppose."

"So, then whey won't you have dinner with me? I always ask, and you always decline."

She placed her hands on her hips. "Maybe it's the way you ask. Did you ever think of that?"

"Persistence is key here, is it not?"

She shook her head. "Tony, you've got to walk before you run. Think about that and get back to me."

Just as she turned to go, he called out, "I'd rather fly!"

She turned back. "What?"

He held his arms in the air, beckoning his armor to him. "I said… I'd rather fly." In one smooth motion, she found herself in the arms of a fully armored Iron Man.

"Tony! No!" She shouted, but it was too late. He'd already powered the thrusters and they were sailing straight up through the air before she could really protest.

After a moment, he stopped and hovered. She looked down to see the skyline lit up in the darkness below them.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" He said. "I'd keep going, but any higher and you won't be able to breathe."

She nodded, tilting her head back to gaze up at the stars.

"Have you ever been so close to them?" He asked, retracting his faceplate so he could look her in the eye.

She shook her head wordlessly.

"Well, then I guess you'd better make a wish, my darling."

"Tony…" She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say, but she was positive that she should say something, and although she was very aware that she'd been mildly irritated with him just a few seconds before, now she couldn't bring herself to recall why.

"Don't say anything," he murmured. "Just please forgive me and try to keep an open mind."

She turned her face to look at him, her eyes widening when she realized how close his face was to hers. "About what?"

"About what I'm going to do next," he warned, his eyes shining excitedly in the starlight.

"Whaa?" She barely was able to wonder out loud before he closed the small distance between them, pressing his lips firmly against hers.

It occurred to her that if she tried to push him away, she'd fall to her death once she was released from his arms and she might have smiled smugly at the notion of a choice between kissing Tony Stark and dying a pointless death, but then he pushed his tongue into her mouth. Maybe it was the fact that they were so high up in the air that made her dizzy or maybe it was the way his mouth was molding against hers as he kissed her so thoroughly and much softer than she'd expected once her consciousness had made the connection, but she felt weightless as she kissed him back, tightening her arms around his neck.

Just as suddenly as it had started, it was over and she was dimly aware of her feet lightly touching the ground. "Oh," she murmured once she realized that they had landed.

"I know," he agreed, slightly breathless. "Kind of makes you feel like we're still floating, huh?"

Her cheeks flared as her head snapped up to look at him. "You know-"

"I was kidding," he said gently, holding up both hands in defense. He slowly lowered them, placing a hand on her forearm. "So how about it, Natasha? Will you please have dinner with me?"

She thought for a moment. "Alright," she said quietly with a nod of her head. "But not tonight. How about next Thursday?"

He smiled softly. "That's perfect. I'll pick you up at seven," he promised.


	5. This Isn't A Fairytale

Natasha adjusted her short, dark green cocktail dress one last time before she opened the door to her apartment.

"Hi, Tony," she greeted him with a wide smile.

He paused for a moment, his mouth hanging slightly open for a just a second before he let out a low whistle.

She rolled her eyes with a grin and braced herself.

"You look stunning," He said simply, offering her his arm.

She slipped her arm through his, her skin tingling ever so slightly when he brushed his hand against hers. "Thank you. You look handsome as well," she added, thinking inwardly how the word handsome was a complete understatement.

He walked her down the pathway to the street and fished around in his pocket, pressing a button on a remote starter. "After you," he said, opening the passenger side door to a sleek red luxury car.

She slid in in amazement, looking around as he closed the door after her and walked around to the driver's side to climb in. "Where's your driver?"

He shrugged. "I gave him the night off. It's just you and me today, darling."

She nodded. "So you do get it."

"I hope so," he said, turning to face her before pulling away from the curb. "I tried everything to get it right," he added sincerely.

She grinned. "Well, you're doing great so far. So where are we going?"

He grinned back. "You'll see."

When they pulled up to the restaurant, he hurried around to her side to open her door once more and this time she didn't hesitate to slip her arm through his when he offered it to her. They were immediately surrounded by photographers, who clicked away in bright flashes.

"Sorry," he said with narrowed eyes. "There's not much I can do about that, but I promise you a private table once we get inside."

She shook her head. "It's fine. They can't possibly print anything that's worse than the things that have already been said about me," she assured him. "Just relax."

He let out a slow breath, his mouth forming a genuine smile.

It took no time for the host to seat them at the private table that Tony had promised. Once they were settled with unfolded menus, she gazed around at their surroundings. "Italian. Nice. How did you find out about this place?"

He smiled his signature, wide, open mouthed smile with perfect white teeth showing. "This is where my father took my mother on their first date. I haven't been here since I was a child, but I hear the food's still great, although they have different owners. Please, order anything you like."

Her eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

He nodded.

"Why me?" She asked after a moment.

"Because you're different," he answered without hesitation. "You and me… we're alike in ways the others just wouldn't understand."

She nodded.

"Plus you take me seriously, even when I'm being ridiculous."

She smiled at that.

"I'm really glad you agreed to go out with me tonight, Natasha," he said, reaching across the table to grasp her hands in his.

She shivered slightly at the electricity in his touch. "This is so surreal. This whole royal treatment thing. I've never been the girl who attracts the prince."

He laughed. "I'm no prince. And this isn't a fairytale."

She shook her head. "No. But sometimes it feels like it, doesn't it? With magic, and aliens… "

He looked down at their hands, his had started to shake.

"Tony. Have you done what I suggested?"

He nodded. "I'm getting better about this."

"I know you are. And how about Harley,"she asked to change the subject. " How is he?"

He breathed slowly and pulled his hands away from hers when the waiter brought their food to the table.

"Would you believe he actually likes living with Pepper and Happy?" He rolled his eyes when he mentioned their names and Natasha couldn't help hiding a smile behind her hands. "His mom calls him every night, which I think is more than they've talked in over a year."

She nodded. "You did a good thing."

"With your help. I don't know if I ever properly thanked you for that."

She shook her head and waved him off. "We're teammates, remember? That's what we do."

"Right," he said with a small smile. "I'm a team player now."

"Who would have thought?" She joked.

"Did you save room for desert? I hear their cheesecake is absolutely exquisite."

"Hmmm… I don't know. Maybe we can share," she said in a low voice.

His smile widened. "Alright."

After they'd finished their meal, Tony wrapped a loose arm around her shoulders as he led her outside. "It's gotten cold. Do you want my jacket?"

She grinned playfully. "I'm Russian, remember? It's fine. You can keep your arm around me if you'd like."

"Are you flirting with me, Agent Romanoff?"

"You flirted with me first, Mister Stark," she reminded him, jabbing him lightly in the side with her elbow.

When the valet brought his car around, he kept a hand lingering on the door for a moment. "I don't want to take you home yet. Come over to my place," he said.

Her mouth set in a line. "I'm not going to sleep with you, Tony."

"That's fine. But still, come over. We could just… hang."

She raised an eyebrow. "Hang?"

He nodded. "Yeah, why not?"

She thought for a moment, before answering against her better judgement, "Fine. We could hang. But stop at my place first. I want to change out of this dress."

"Okay then," he obliged.

XXXX

Once they were at his manor, he eagerly led her to the sofa. "I heard you were born in the twenties," he said. "So I obtained some silent films that I thought might interest you."

She giggled, an actual giggle. "You're a freak," she said laughing.

He wiggled his eyebrows. "You have no idea. So is it true?"

"If it helps you with the fact that you're old enough to be my father, then yes it is."

He wrinkled his nose. "But then you'd be old enough to be my… Oh, God."

She shook her head. "I guess you'll have to find out."

He handed her the collection of dvds. "Have you seen any of those?"

"I definitely have not," she informed him, still smiling. She picked one that looked interesting and handed it to him.

"Oooh," he shook his head. "I don't like being handed things. Can you just pop it in the player?"

She rolled her eyes. "I forgot that you have more issues than anyone knows what to do with," she said with a playful wink.

"First I'm old, now I have issues," he said sinking down into the couch beside her. "I think I'd rather be a prince." He turned his attention to the screen. "Figures you'd pick one about a femme fatale." He reached behind him to dim the lights. "There you go. Just like going to the theater, right?"

"Mmm," she agreed. "But you really didn't have to go through all this trouble."

"Nah, it's no trouble at all. Can I offer you a drink?"

She nodded.

"Okay. I'll be right back."

"Where's your butler?"

"I gave the whole house the night off. It really is just us."

She sighed. "Tony…"

"I know, I know. And I already told you, it's fine. I just wanted to spend some more time with you."

"Alright," she said with a soft smile, sinking back into the couch.

He returned a moment later with their drinks. "So how's the movie?"

"Pretty terrible," she said with a grin.

"Perfect," he said, sitting down beside her. "I'd rather watch you anyway."

"Well, you're not going to watch me watch the movie, are you?"

"Why not?"

She shook her head. "Because that's my job. I'm the spy, remember?" She idly tossed her hair over her shoulder, gazing at him through playful eyes.

He smiled at her, leaning closer to her and she let him wrap an arm loosely around the back of the sofa above her shoulders. "You never cease to amaze me, Agent Romanoff. Every little thing you do."

She looked up at him through hooded eyes, slowly backing away from him to study him.

"I am going to kiss you now. If you don't want me to, then you'll need to stop me. In three, " he leaned over. "Two," he placed his palm on her cheek, his fingers lightly brushing her hair. "One."

She closed her eyes as his lips softly touched hers, raising her hands to the back of his head. After a moment she laughed.

"This isn't turning out how I imagined it," he murmured, his lips still on hers.

She slowly pulled back. "No, it's just… I guess I always assumed you'd taste like alcohol, or something. But you don't."

He nodded. "And what exactly do I taste like, sweetheart?"

"I don't know," she said slyly. "I guess you'll have to kiss me again."

With a grin, he leaned over her once more, pressing his lips to hers and tangling his fingers in her hair.

Her hands touched his face as they kissed, after awhile he lowered his face to her neck, reveling in the softness of her skin until she shivered slightly and pulled away. "Hey, your beard tickles," she murmured.

His eyes lit up. "Really now? Where else are you ticklish?" He asked, grinning mischievously as he brushed his fingers playfully across her waist.

"Nowhere," she said, slapping his hand away as she squirmed beneath him.

"Okay, okay, I give up," he murmured, returning his lips to her jaw.

"I don't," she whispered, sliding her hands under his shirt and moving one across his belly, the other tickling his ribs.

With a growl he pinned her to the cushions, taking hold of both her wrists in his, his legs straddling her.

"Wait," she breathed. "This has the potential to go against our no sex policy."

"No, it won't," he promised. "But that doesn't mean we can't make out a little, right?"

She gazed at him skeptically. "And when was the last time you just made out?"

"Hmmm… probably never," he admitted. "How about you?"

She smiled.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I guess there's a first time for everything."

"Right," she agreed, grabbing lightly at the front of his shirt to pull him back down on top of her.

He closed his eyes as their lips met again, running his hands up and down her arms. She sighed softly when he pushed his tongue into her mouth, and he leaned further into her, tilting her head back.

She lowered her mouth to his neck, sucking softly at his sensitive skin. "Mmmm, you don't have to be so gentle," he said. "I'm not fragile."

She bit down hard and he didn't even care if she left a mark as she sucked harder, her tongue teasing at his pulse point.

He moved his hands to her waist, his thumb softly caressing the small sliver of skin between the hem of her shirt and the waistband of her jeans. He was so caught up in the feel of her skin beneath his hands, her mouth on his neck, and her hand sliding up his chest that he didn't even realize that her other hand had been pushing up his shirt until it was too late.

"Mmmm, sorry baby, but the shirt stays on," he murmured, slowly disentangling his body from hers and idly catching the hand that was moving across his chest. "Unless you want me to take yours off," he added suggestively.

"Nice try," she said wryly, her hand still tracing his arc reactor beneath the cloth. "Come on, let me see it."

"And what can I see?" He countered, unconsciously licking his lips.

"Fair's fair," she said, sitting up so she could pull her shirt off over her head.

"Oh, God, that's so not fair," he whined, taking in the sight of her creamy white skin contrasted against the black silk of her bra.

"Now you," she commanded, tugging on his shirt.

He let her pull the garment off, raising his hands in defeat.

For a moment she was spellbound, running her fingers over the edge of it where it met his skin. "This is amazing," she breathed. "I- I read about it, but you're… amazing." She looked up at him. "How deep does it go?"

"Pretty deep," he said with a sigh, grabbing at her fingers to stop.

"And does it hurt?"

He shook his head. "Not as much as the alternative."

"Why are you so self-conscious of it? It's incredible."

"I've never been self-conscious. I think protective is the word you're looking for. Considering what it does and all."

She frowned. "You still don't trust me?"

"Don't be offended, darling. It's just a reflex. And my God, your breasts are magnificent."

"You're changing the subject."

"I'm not. Screw the no sex policy," he growled, reaching out and engulfing both of them in his hands as he pushed her bra up.

"Ahhh," she moaned, giving way to his strong, knowing hands.

"I don't want to do anything you don't want," he murmured, lowering his lips to her neck as his hands continued their work. "So you'll have to tell me how this is going to go."

She moved her hands behind his head, tugging at his hair as she pushed his face down. He reached one hand around her back to unhook her bra and impatiently tugged it off as he lowered his mouth to her breasts. "God, I want you. I've always wanted you."

"Tony, we can't… we agreed," she said breathlessly.

"I know," he whispered, moving his thigh between her legs. "But we can do other things. What do you want?"

"Make me feel good," she whispered back, moving her hands dangerously across his jeans. "And I'll make you feel good."

He closed his hand around her wrist. "Baby, you have no idea how good I'm going to make you feel," he promised. "But ladies first."

With that, he unbuttoned her pants and dragged down the zipper, spreading his hands across her underwear as she shimmied out of her jeans. He was pleased to see that she was already wet as he slipped his hand into her panties. "I'm glad to see this hasn't been entirely one sided," he said huskily as he thrust first one, then another finger into her.

"Mmmm," she moaned loudly as he found her spot. "Right there."

"Right here, baby?" He said, hooking his fingers upwards. "God, you feel so good."

"Tony," she moaned as she felt her orgasm building. "Don't stop."

"Never," he promised with a whisper, dragging his tongue along her earlobe before pressing his mouth down to devour her neck as he pumped his fingers faster and faster.

"Oh God!" she whimpered as she shuddered around him.

"Are you sure you don't want to have sex?" He asked hopefully.

"No," she murmured. "But not tonight. Now come here," she grinned wolfishly as she pressed her mouth to his, then down his throat, scraping her teeth against his skin as she moved her mouth down his chest, his ribs, his stomach, her tongue dipping into his navel for a moment as she unbuttoned his jeans and tugged on his boxers.

"Mmm, you know what I like," he whispered, laying back down against the cushions as she ran her tongue along his length.

"I haven't forgotten," she murmured before taking him into her mouth.

He groaned loudly as she worked, her hands slowly moving to grasp him as she sucked. "Holy shit, I almost forgot how good you are at this," he moaned as his eyes started to roll back in his head. "Fuck, that feels good."

She continued to suck hungrily, her tongue paying extra attention to his tip, one hand grabbing him playfully while the other struggled to keep his hips still as he squirmed beneath her.

"It's going to be soon," he warned breathlessly and he moaned loudly as she hummed in answer.

"Ungh!" He groaned when she finished, still coming down off the most satisfying orgasm he ever remembered having.

"You're insanely good at that," he murmured after he'd caught his breath.

"I know," she replied with a sly smile. "You're… pretty good at stuff too," she admitted.

"I know," he said with a wink. "But I hope you don't think that I planned this the whole time. I just couldn't help myself when you took your clothes off."

She grinned.

"What can I say? You're a goddess," he praised.

"I thought you said this wasn't a fairytale," she reminded him.

"Yeah, well, you're pretty damn close, Princess."

"And how about you, with those arms? Jeez.."

He laughed. "What did you expect? I'm Iron Man. Besides, you've seen me naked before."

She shook her head. "No.. you wanted to keep your shirt on the last time too."

He shrugged.

"Can you take me home now?"

"I can. Unless you want to spend the night here," he offered.

"Tony.."

"In a separate bedroom," he insisted, as if that's what he'd meant all along.

"I don't think so," Natasha answered. "If I stay here, there's no way I'm letting you sleep in a separate room," she added.

He nodded. "Alright. Just give me a second to wash up and I'll take you home."

Once he pulled up to her house, he offered her his arm and proceeded to walk her to the door. "I hope I didn't screw this up too much," he said softly. "I just wanted tonight to be perfect."

She shook her head. "No, it was perfect. All of it."

"Does that mean you'll go out with me again?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'll go out with you again."

He smiled, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear as he leaned over and kissed her softly on her cheek. "Goodnight, Natasha."

"Goodnight, Tony," she said, leaning her head against the door as she watched him go.


	6. Avengers Get Together

"So let me get this straight. You're going to jump out of a plane. For fun?" Steve asked incredulously.

Tony wrapped an arm around his shoulders with a huge grin on his face. "I love this guy. Don't you just love this guy?" He patted Steve loudly on the back. "Not just me. Us. We're going to jump out of a plane for fun."

"I don't see why you feel the need to go skydiving when you can fly, Tony," Natasha said.

"Well, my therapist suggested finding thrill-seeking activities that don't put whole cities in danger," Tony explained matter-of-factly. "So strap on a chute and let's get moving!"

"Yeah, well my therapist suggests staying away from situations like these," Bruce said. "I'll watch you guys jump and meet you at the landing site."

"That's not very team spirit like," Tony whined.

"I kind of vote on him not jumping too," Clint offered. "You want to get adventurous? Let's barbeque at your place after and have Banner fire up the grill," he added with a chuckle.

Natasha nodded.

"Not very thrilling. I've seen him cook and he's actually pretty good," Tony replied. "Although I do like the idea of having an after-party at my house…."

"Great, then it's settled," Bruce said with relief. "Now who's jumping first?"

"You know in my day, when we jumped out of an airplane, it was during-"

"Oh, save it Cap. Why don't you be a good team leader and lead team?" Tony said with a playful shove. "After you!"

Just as he slid out of the exit, he grabbed Tony's arm, who then grabbed Natasha's ankle, who took Clint's hand at the last minute. In a fit of laughter and shouts, they were airborne.

Tony could hear Natasha's exhilarated squeals and he reached out both arms to her as far as he could. She thrust her body forward so she could take his hands and he flipped them over twice before letting her go.

Almost as soon as it had started, it was over and they prepared for landing in the same order they had jumped, with Steve and Natasha landing gracefully and Tony and Clint landing not so gracefully.

"Man, you're right that was fun!" Clint shouted, and Tony looked up to see that even Steve was smiling.

"Alright. I really could use a burger now," Tony said, catching his breath. The others nodded in agreement.

XXXX

"So. You and Stark, huh?" Clint said as he sat back in a loungechair next to where Natasha was sitting watching Tony and Steve race in the pool.

She pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head. "Spare me the lecture, Clint."

"Come on, Nat. You're really going to be happy with him? The guy's a total maniac!"

"Oh, he is not."

"Yes, he is," Clint insisted. "He's manipulative, selfish, impulsive to the point of being a danger to himself and everyone within a ten mile radius, totally conceited, borderline alcoholic, plus he's way more messed up in the head than he'll ever be willing to admit."

"You forgot loyal, generous, and compassionate," Natasha pointed out as she took a sip of her iced tea. "Give him some credit. He's trying to change and he's actually doing pretty well."

He snorted.

"Are you jealous, Clint? Cause you know you had your chance," she retorted with a smirk.

"Please. I'm quite happy in my current low maintenance relationship. You enjoy your high maintenance one."

She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I'm only looking out for you here. Do you seriously have feelings for this guy?"

"You know, I really don't think that's any of your business, Agent Barton."

"So that's how it is, huh? And what do you think's going to happen, huh? You think he's going to marry you and put you next to his high and mighty throne?"

"Please, this isn't a fairytale," she said, brushing him off with a wave of her hand.

He moved his chair closer to hers so he could look her in the eyes. "Seriously. How do you think this is going to end? How long do you really think you'll be able to placate him?"

"Clint…"

"Hey, Barton!" Tony shouted from the pool. "Romanoff! Get in here!"

Natasha rose up, adjusting her swimsuit as she stood.

"Just be careful, Nat. If you're going to be in a relationship with him, make sure you're both standing on the same ground."

She didn't look back as she took a running jump straight into the pool, squealing as Tony lifted her up onto his shoulders.

"What's the matter, Barton? You coming in or not?" Tony shouted.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna get going. It's late," Clint said apologetically.

"Yeah, I've got work in the morning," Bruce agreed.

"Me too," Steve said.

"You coming, Nat?" Clint asked.

She shook her head. "You guys go on ahead. I think I'll hang back here."

Tony nodded. "I'll take you home later on."

Clint gave her one last meaningful look before walking out of the yard with the others.

XXXX

"I think that went well," Tony said happily once they were settled inside.

"Yeah, everybody really liked the skydiving thing," She agreed.

"We should all get together more often."

"Maybe not so much high adrenaline next time though," Natasha said with a smile.

Tony laughed. "I guess that was a little over the top. So what do you think? Movie? I've got Charlie Chaplin."

Natasha grinned as she settled back on the sofa. "That's three silent movies so far. Since when did you become such a couch potato?" She asked, tugging on his collar to pull him forward for a kiss.

"Since around the time you refused to sleep with me to be precise," Tony said teasingly before engulfing her earlobe with his tongue. "Although I do like your idea better," he added as he moved his mouth down her neck.

She ran her fingers roughly through his hair, tugging his head back so she could press her mouth more firmly against his. He leaned back into the cushions, his arms linked around her waist to effectively pull her on top of him.

After a few minutes of passionate, breath-taking kissing, Natasha settled her head against his chest, burying her hands under his shirt and idly dragging her fingers across his bare sides.

"Hey, Nat?"

"Mmm?"

"There's this charity banquet thing next month," he said, running his fingers slowly through her long curls. "It's pretty fancy. There will be dinner and dancing, so it should be fun, if you'd like to go."

"Okay," she said with a bright smile.

"I mean, I understand if it's too public."

"I said okay," she replied. "I'd love to go. What is that, like our sixth date or something?"

He laughed. "I'm glad you're keeping track. But whatever this thing is, with us?"

She tilted her head back to look at him. "Hmmm?"

"I like it."

"Me too," she said, lazily nuzzling his neck.

"Are you falling asleep?" he asked, gently caressing her arm.

"A little," she admitted. "Do you want to take me home?"

He shook his head. "Why don't you stay here tonight?"

"Tony…"

"In whatever room you like? Come on, I promise I won't try anything weird." He leaned his head back against the arm of the couch and closed his eyes. "Besides, I'm way too tired to drive you all the way home."

She groaned.

"How about this?" He asked, pushing something into her pocket. "I'll give you the keys to the Bentley. If you still want to go home in a little bit, you can drive yourself home."

She grinned. "You trust me to drive your Bentley?"

"I trust you with a lot of things," he said quietly.

"Okay," she said, snuggling into his chest. "Then I'm just going to rest my eyes for a second before I go."

"You do that," he said, smiling into her hair as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her.

"Just for a second…" she murmured.


	7. Mission In Mexico

Natasha sat up on the sofa, stretching her arms wide with a yawn.

His eyelids fluttered when he felt her stir. "You stayed," he observed.

"So did you," she answered.

He groaned as he lifted his head up. "Never sleep with your head on the arm of a couch. It kills your neck."

She laughed lightly. "Come here, I'll massage it for you."

He closed his eyes as her hands dug firmly into his muscles. "Is there anything you're not good at?" He wondered aloud.

"No, I don't think so," she teased.

"I don't doubt it."

"So… listen. I'm going to Mexico with Clint for a little bit."

"Clint? Look, Nat, I know we haven't had the whole 'where is this going?' chat yet, hell we haven't even slept together, but still… I don't think I like the idea of you going on vacation with another dude."

"We're on assignment in Mexico, wiseguy," She said rolling her eyes. "Fury called me in the middle of the night while you were asleep."

He nodded.

"This one's a waiting game, so it'll probably be about ten days…"

"Alright. When do you have to leave?"

"Today," she said, biting her lip. "Our flight's in a little over four hours."

He sighed. "Do you want me to take you to the airport?"

"Nah," she said shaking her head. "Thanks, but I'm not really too good at the goodbye thing."

"Yeah, me either," he agreed. "But still, Iet me at least have someone drive you. I'll arrange to have Barton picked up too."

"Alright. Thank you," she said softly.

He pulled her hand over his shoulder and raised her fingers gently to his lips.

"I am going to miss you while I'm away, Tony," she said quietly.

He reached one arm behind him and swiftly pulled her into his lap. "I'll miss you too, darling. Think of me, and I'll be thinking of you. Just don't get too hot and bothered if you're going to be sharing a room with that bastard."

She rolled her eyes.

XXXX

The air was hot and humid, even inside their empty hotel room. Clint sighed as he fanned himself with a magazine. "It figures that Stark's on the cover, doesn't it? Everything he does is tabloid fodder. The internationals must love it."

Natasha glared at him. "I thought this conversation was over."

"Hey, we have to do something to pass the time. Anyway, it shouldn't be too much longer. Those two over there are the decoys."

She nodded. "I think you're right."

"Anyway, have you told him your secret yet?"

"I already told you I let him read my S.H.I.E.L.D. file."

"Yeah, but not everything's in that file, is it? Did you tell him about how you joined S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place?"

"He knows enough about the really bad stuff, and it doesn't bother him," Natasha said irritatedly.

Clint snorted. "Yeah, because he probably thinks he's done worse!"

"Clint, the target's right across the way. I think our cover might have been blown."

He grabbed his pair of standard issue S.H.I.E.L.D. binoculars as she reached for their weapons. "Shit, you're right." He leaned in for a closer look and motioned for her to take cover. "Tasha, get down!" He shouted as he threw his body on top of hers.


	8. Desperate Times

It had just gotten dark by the time J.A.R.V.I.S. alerted Tony to the visitor at the door. He flew down the stairs and eagerly yanked it open, barely wondering if he was appearing too eager.

"Nat! I wasn't expecting you for another three days," He said.

Without warning, she threw herself into his body, her shoulders shaking rapidly.

"Hey, hey," he said, stroking her back as she shivered. His heart pounded as he searched his brain for something to say, but he found he was at a loss because he had never, ever fathomed that he'd find her like this.

"Tony!" She sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay, I'm here, I'm here," he repeated soothingly. "What's the matter, baby?"

"I-I can't…"

"Sssh…" He tilted her head back with one hand, his thumb brushing her tears off her cheeks. "Look, honey, whatever it is, I'm going to set it right, but you've got to talk to me, okay?"

Her breath came in ragged gasps as she tried to steady herself, her fingers grabbing tightly at his arms.

"Hold on, are you bleeding? Baby, we've got to get you some medical attention."

She shook her head furiously, still sobbing. "N-no, no… I c-can't…"

"What can't you do? What happened on this mission, honey? Where's Clint?" He felt his blood start to run cold in his veins even as he asked the question. "Natasha? Where's Clint?"

"Cuh-C-Clint… h-he's…"

"What is, Nat? You have to tell me. Where's Clint?" His eyes widened as he grasped her more firmly.

"A-at h-h-headquarters. The d-doctors, they…. They're gonna give up!"

"You mean he's still alive?" He slowly breathed out a sigh of relief. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're going to get moving, right now," he said as he reached in his pocket for his phone. "I'm texting Happy on his emergency line because you're in no shape to drive and I have to make a few calls on the way."

She sniffled, gazing at him quizzically.

"I know some specialists closeby. Some of the best doctors in the country are right here in L.A.," he explained, trying to keep his voice steady.

"He's going to make it?"

"We're sure as hell going to give him his best fighting chance," Tony promised, pushing her into the car. He held her body close to his in the backseat, stroking her arm with one hand while the other held the phone up to his face as he calmly delegated clear, direct orders.

Once they arrived at headquarters, he held her hand steady as she punched in her security code and then they burst through the doors of the medical bay in an instant.

"Thank you, so much gentleman, for all your hard work," Tony said loudly as his eyes briefly searched the room. "But you've all just been given the rest of the night off. This man is being airlifted out of here."

"Stark!" Fury shouted as he bounded into the room, followed by a team of security guards. "What in the blazes do you think you're doing?"

"Do you really want to lose your best agent tonight, Director?" Tony asked in an even voice.

Fury lowered his eye to the floor for just a split second before regarding Tony with a grave expression.

"I didn't think so. I'm flying Barton to the best doctors in Los Angeles. Don't worry about the expense. It's all already been taken care of."

XXXX

"Do you really think they'll be able to save him?" She asked in a meek voice, with her hands pressed up against the glass.

"I think if anybody can, it's these guys," Tony answered. "Now come on. We'll go back to my place and get you fixed up, sweetheart."

She looked up at him. "I can't leave him."

"Come on, baby. Let the doctors do their work. They'll call my secure line as soon as they know something. You'll be no good to him all banged up like you are."

She nodded finally, easing slowly off the glass and silently letting him lead her away.

XXXX

"Nat," Tony whispered, nudging her face with his. "Darling, wake up."

"Mmm," she murmured, rolling over to peer at his face as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"Dr. Amaris just called me. Barton's been stabilized."

She shot upright, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open for just a second before she could find words. "He's going to be okay?"

Tony smiled, a wide, white-toothed smile that reached his eyes. "He's going to be fine," he confirmed. "Doc says he's sleeping peacefully right now, but we can go see him in the morning."

"Oh, Tony!" She shouted, flinging her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly.

He laughed, giddy with relief as he returned her embrace and she found his laughter to be contagious as she giggled enthusiastically. "How long have I been out?" She wondered when the laughter subsided.

"A few hours. You needed your rest."

She nodded, looking around the room. "This is your bedroom?" She asked after a moment.

"Yeah. We're at my house, remember?"

She gazed at him thoughtfully. "You've never had another person in your real room, never mind your real bed." she said quietly. "But this is your real room."

"How do you know that?" He asked, swallowing hard.

"Well, for one, you just told me," she said with a sly grin. "And I know that there are seventeen spare rooms in this mansion. Six of them have actual beds. I've been in three of them, back when I worked for you and they all looked the same. From what the other staff has said… they all look the same. But this one's different. Besides, it smells like you."

"Not like alcohol?" He asked teasingly.

She smiled. "No, not like alcohol. So.. why me?"

He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I told you, you're different."

"Tony…" She took his face in her hands and kissed him forcefully, pulling him down to lay on top of her.

He moaned into her mouth, his hands groping for the slightest bit of bare skin.

She pinned his body to hers with her legs, moving her hips against his purposefully as she tore his shirt off him.

"Nat, wait," he whispered breathlessly as her hands teased at the waistband of his jeans.

"Don't stop," she breathed, her tongue tracing a trail down his throat. "Just fuck me."

He tilted his head to one side to give her better access as she sucked a bruise on the skin of his neck, his hands firmly moving down her stomach to undo the buttons on her pants. "I don't want to just fuck you, baby," he murmured as he moved his hands between her legs. "God, I want to make love to you."

"Mmmm," she moaned as his fingers found the spot she liked. "Tony," she whispered, pressing her lips against his.

"You okay, baby?" he asked, lowering his mouth down her neck and across her collarbone.

"Yes, yes," she whimpered, moving her hips against his hand.

"Still don't want me to stop?" He asked, tilting her head back to look at him.

"Never," she whispered back, running her hands greedily over the muscles of his chest. "Please, Tony. Don't ever stop."

In one smooth motion, he reached behind her to unhook her bra and slipped it off her shoulders, lowering his face to her breasts.

She arched her back, her hands grasping restlessly at his clothes as she clumsily undressed him. Once she succeeded, she moved her hands lower on his body to grab him and she smiled satisfactorily when he let out a breathless moan as she went up and down his length.

"God, I want you," he breathed.

"Then take me," she urged, pulling him down for a kiss as he slowly guided himself into her.

"Ungh," she moaned softly as he positioned himself over her, lowering his mouth to her neck as he began to thrust into her.

She wrapped her legs around his thighs, moving her hips slowly against his.

"This feels even better than I imagined," he groaned, one hand caressing her hip, the other reaching behind her head.

She traced every muscle in his back as he moved within her, finally settling her hands on his ass as she urged him on.

"Oh, God, Tony!" She moaned, biting her lip.

"No," he whispered, cupping her chin in his hand. "Don't hold back. I want to hear how good you feel," he managed before letting out a moan himself.

"So good," she murmured, digging her nails into his back. "So, soooo good. Ahhh, faster," she moaned.

He obliged, thrusting more forcefully as she placed open mouthed kisses along his neck, running her tongue across his shoulder, taking in the heat of his breath and the salt on his skin.

"Mmmm, oh God, oh God," she moaned and he could feel how close she was as she tightened her whole body on his, screaming out "Tony!" as she came hard around him.

That was enough to undo him and he buried his face in her shoulder as he found his release.

They were both silent as they took a few minutes to catch their breath. Natasha was the first one to speak. "I don't know why I made you wait so long," she said, idly running a hand down his arm.

He chuckled softly. "It was worth the wait, darling, I assure you. How do you feel?"

"Sleepy," she murmured quietly.

"Then rest now, baby," he said, softly kissing the back of her hand.

"You'll stay in bed with me?" She asked, smoothing his hair back off his forehead.

"Of course I will," he promised as she drifted off to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."


	9. The Truth Is

"Hey." Natasha called softly with a light knock at the door.

Clint's large, tired blue eyes looked up at her. "Hey."

She offered a weak smile, letting herself in and closing the door behind her. "No roommate," she noticed.

Clint nodded. "That was Stark."

"I'm not surprised," She said simply. "How are you feeling?"

He patted the bed next to him and she moved to sit beside him. "I'm alright. I'll be back in a day or two."

Her smile widened. "You just had major surgery, Clint."

He shrugged. "So I'll be back in a week then."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, your attitude's certainly back."

He grinned, reaching for her hand. "See, I knew you would bring me home, just like you said you would."

She shook her head. "I…. um, Tony… he did all this," she said, gesturing with her other hand around the room.

"Yeah, I heard. I guess he is everything you said," Clint said evenly, propping himself up. "Stark's actually having me moved from this facility. He says it'd be better for me to recover at home now."

"Really?" Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Did you tell him that's what you wanted?"

"I'm not sure," He replied with a slight frown. "I guess I probably hinted at that when I was out of it."

She nodded. "That's Tony."

"Look, Tasha… I know you care for him."

She sighed. "Not this again."

"You have to tell him."

"Clint, I can't just…."

"After all this? If you really have any sort of real feelings for him, then you have to tell him the truth. Before this goes any further."

"And how far do you trust Tony Stark with classified S.H.I.E.L.D. information?" She challenged.

Clint shrugged. "I'm not the one that's sleeping with him. It's not my conscience. But still…. he will find out. It's probably in your best interest to tell him before he finds out on his own."

"I'll think about it."

"Come on, Tash. You have to be fair to him," he said, gazing at her with steady eyes. "If he genuinely cares about you, and Tasha…. I think he does, then he'll come around. After all, who knows more about retribution and redemption than Tony Stark?"

XXXXX

Natasha slowly made her way to waiting area, taking a deep breath as she entered the room.

Tony looked up when she was right in front of him, a sleepy expression on his face. "How is he?"

"Awake." She managed a small smile for his benefit. "He's going to be fine."

He smiled wide. "Good, I'm glad."

"Tony. Let's go for a walk."

"Alright." He stood up, offering his arm.

She slipped her arm through his, holding on tight as they moved through the automatic door.

"Where would you like to go, darling?" He asked once they were outside.

"I was hoping we could talk," she began.

"That's never a good sign," he said cautiously.

She shook her head. "You might want to sit down."

"I think I'll stand," He said, straightening his posture defensively.

"I just…. I have to tell you something, and I think it's going to be hard for you to hear," she said quietly, her eyes pleading.

His shoulders relaxed slightly. "What is it? Are you going to tell me that you really are fifty years older than me? Because, honestly, I think I can be okay with that. As long as there's cosmetic options to keep me looking as pretty as you."

She smiled weakly. "That might be a conversation for another time."

He nodded. "What, then? Come on, you can tell me anything."

"Do you know the story of how I ended up at S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Sure, everyone does. Barton was sent to kill you, but he pardoned you and brought you in instead, blah blah blah." He gave a little laugh. "Though, honestly, from what I've seen, I'm not entirely convinced that you couldn't have taken him."

"But you don't know what mission I was on when he was sent to kill me," she said without cracking a smile.

"Uh, I admit that I may have skimmed over that part of your file," he said nonchalantly.

"That information wasn't in the file. It's been erased from all S.H.I.E.L.D. records and not even Maria Hill has the security clearance to be in the know."

"Okay… you don't have to tell me this if it's going to get you in trouble. I don't have to know everything about you to trust you," he said. "Although, your secret will be safe with me, I can assure you."

"You do have to know this, so you can make an informed decision."

"About you? I already made my decision, and after last night…. "

"Tony."

"What?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips. " Natasha, I've heard all the stories and I've read your file and honestly, after seeing some of that stuff, I don't think there's anything you can possibly say right now that's going to surprise me."

She took a deep breath, her eyes trained steadily on his. "I was sent to kill you."

"Except that," he said, with widened, but otherwise unmoving eyes.


	10. Exposition

They were both silent for a long while. When Tony finally blinked, he shook his head, looking away from her only to look back at the hospital sign behind them. "Well, I guess my uknown debt to Barton has just been repaid," he muttered sarcastically.

She watched him silently for a few moments more.

"You're not saying anything," he observed.

"Neither are you."

"Are you going to elaborate, or is that some big secret too?"

She remained calm, she had been prepared for him to be on the defensive after hearing her confession. "After you got back from Afghanistan, the rumors spread quickly. Everyone wanted to know your secrets. My handlers wanted to be the first."

"The arc reactor? That's what all this was about?"

She nodded.

"I'm used to people coming after me, but this…." He whistled. "This is new." He paced back and forth a couple of times as he took it all in. "Someone broke into my private safe at the Chicago townhouse. That was you?"

"Yes," she said, her eyes remaining steady on him.

He laughed. "Now that, that's impressive. I can't even tell you where the blasted thing is in that place, let alone what the code is. Well, I guess it's a good thing I wasn't there at the time."

She shook her head. "I was just looking for information on the arc reactor technology at that time."

"No, but then you were in my house a few months later, weren't you? In Malibu? I had just gotten home from dinner with Pepper and I knew something was off. My entire security team and I followed you for six hundred and thirteen miles before you got away."

"I remember."

"The Black Widow wasn't going to stop, huh? You didn't get close enough to me the first two times, of course you had to keep going."

"Tony…"

"You hi-jacked my private jet, right? Planted a bomb? I wasn't there that day, either, but my pilot? He wasn't so lucky, now was he? His name was David Johnson. I knew him since undergrad. Had three young children, him and his wife."

"Tony, I… I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You're sorry?!" He shouted. "The arc reactor, huh?" His breathing quickened as he placed his hands unconsciously on his chest. "I- I told you everything…. Let you touch it, let you touch me!"

"Tony, you're panicking," she said, reaching for him, but he pulled quickly away, backing up from her. "I'm not going to hurt you now."

He held up his hands. "No, you… you've already hurt me." His eyes narrowed. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I care about you."

He snorted. "That's how you do it, right? Black Widow?"

"Tony, it's me. Natasha. I'm not that person anymore."

"Wait a minute." He stopped pacing. " I was only back six months before Fury planted you in my company. How long had you been a part of S.H.I.E.L.D., huh? Like, three weeks? Was that your test? If you could be around me and my house without killing me then you must be good enough for S.H.I.E.L.D., right?" He shook his head, his eyes slightly wild.

"I went through a lot of de-programming when I got to S.H.I.E.L.D." she informed him, her voice soft. "It was months of mental and physical training before I was sent out on my first mission. And I promise you, that was far from my first mission."

"Right. And Fury wouldn't have sent you if he wasn't absolutely sure you could handle it, right?" He asked bitterly, still shaking his head.

"I know. I know this is a lot for you right now," she said calmly. "And I understand that you probably need some time…"

He paused for a moment, his breath coming in quick, sharp gasps. "God, not now…" he groaned, trying to steady his hands, which he hadn't realized had been shaking.

"It's okay," Natasha said, holding out her hands to him without touching him. "You're okay. Just breathe deeply, Tony. Eyes on me, remember?"

"Oh, you can bet that my eyes are going to be on you, Agent Romanoff," He said, his voice slightly shaky.

"Tony, I'm not going to hurt you. You have to believe me."

He nodded as his breathing started to slow to normal. "I know that. It's not part of your mission right now, right?"

She shook her head. "It's not about the mission. And we're on the same side now. I didn't know you back then, but I know you now. Or at least, we were having fun getting to know each other, right?"

He placed a still shaking hand over his mouth as he steadied himself. "I- I've got to go, gotta get out of here.."

"Tony, wait. I get that you need time, but please, don't run away from me now," she pleaded.

He looked up at her again, a slight chuckle caught in his throat. "Run?" He asked, tapping on his forearm before raising both arms in the air. "Come on now, darling. You know running's not my style."

Before she could even blink, his armor had completely surrounded his body and locked into place. "I'd much rather fly."

With that, he was gone before she'd finished shouting, "Tony!"


End file.
